The present invention is directed generally toward a brace or bracket which is utilized in the formation of walls for tilt-up concrete building structures and more particularly to a preformed, molded brace, preferably plastic, which is utilized to support a concrete wall form at a desired position upon a previously poured concrete slab floor.
Many industrial/commercial structures are formed using a tilt-up concrete wall construction technique. As shown in FIG. 1, in this type of construction technique, a concrete slab flooring 10 is poured on a site and allowed to cure. Subsequently, the slab floor 10 is used as a platform to enable the side walls 12 to be poured in a horizontal orientation on top of the concrete slab flooring 10. After curing, the side walls are tilted upward in a perpendicular orientation to the slab floor and affixed together to form the vertical side walls of the structure. In forming the side walls, it is conventional that concrete forms 14 such as 2×4's and/or 2×6's and/or 2×8's are positioned on the top of the previously formed concrete slab 10 to define a perimeter area wherein a concrete pour is made within the form and on top of the concrete slab. In setting up the form work 14 upon the slab 10, it is conventional to utilize a metal or wood L-shaped bracket 16, the lower surface of which is directly abutted into the concrete slab 10 and the vertical surface of which may be used to be attached to the form work 14 and hold the form work in a generally perpendicular orientation to the slab.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,935 issued to D. L. Thomas Oct. 5, 1971 discloses a permanent form 14 for pre-cast tilt-up concrete modules. The brackets 16 or corner pieces include plural nail openings through which nails are driven into the slab 10. U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,882 issued to Case et al. on Nov. 7, 1978 discloses a method and apparatus for erecting a concrete wall panel which utilizes a pre-cast insert in the wall panel to enable rapid panel pick up. U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,920 issued to Tye on May 25, 1993 discloses a strong back attachment system for concrete panel tilt-up construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,205 issued to Herrell on Aug. 16, 1977 discloses a reusable mold element for horizontally forming panels. The particular forming members are maintained in the slab 10 via plural nails. U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,156 issued to Tye on Apr. 11, 1978 discloses an apparatus for bracing a tilt-up wall panel wherein universal panel braces are utilized. The panel braces are affixed to the slab via permanent anchors. U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,202 issued to Donnels on Oct. 24, 1972 discloses an adjustable brace similar to the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,156 (Tye).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,948 issued to Harris on Feb. 20, 1996 discloses a tilt-up concrete pad and method of forming and erecting the tilt-up concrete pad which utilizes reusable forms. The brackets 16 utilized in the system appear to be permanently attached via nails to the flooring. U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,265 issued to Kelly et al. on Jul. 13, 1993 discloses a unique apparatus and method for lifting tilt-up wall constructions which is inserted into the concrete pour. U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,831 issued to Baumann on Jan. 28, 1983 discloses a simplified construction system for pre-cast concrete walls wherein the floor, ceiling and side walls are formed upon the slab 10 and subsequently pivoted upward into a final orientation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,106 issued to Navarro on Jul. 13, 1982 discloses a reusable bracket assembly for concrete form which includes brackets 16 that are maintained upon the slab via plural nails. U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,757 issued to Olsen et al. on May 30, 2000 discloses a tilt-up concrete panel and forming system which utilizes a bracket 16 which includes plural apertures for receiving nails therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,356 issued to Deutsch et al. on Aug. 1, 1978 discloses a tilt-up panel bracket 16 formed of metal and adapted for power driven fasteners into the slab 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, the prior art metal or wood brace 16 typically utilizes nails 20 which are driven into the concrete slab flooring 10. In this regard, a contractor typically first drills one or more holes into the slab since a nail 20 cannot typically be driven directly into the slab 10 without breaking or cracking the slab. Thereafter, a nail 20 is inserted into each hole, pounded into the slab 10 and the wooden concrete form 14 is then attached to the opposite side of the bracket 16 to enable a subsequent pouring of the side walls within the interior of the frameworks. After curing of the pour, the brace or bracket 16 is removed from the slab 10 and the forms 14 removed therefrom. In removing the prior art bracket 16 and nails 20 from the slab 10, it is typical that the slab 10 breaks open in the area of the nail 22, thereby requiring subsequent patching of the slab 10, which is visually unpleasing and structurally unsound. Even if the slab is not damaged, patching is required to fill in the nail hole. As such, the prior art bracing and attachment of the bracing to the slab 10 via nails 20 is time consuming, structurally deficient and results in patchwork to the slab which is visually unpleasant.
Thus, a need exists for a brace which is utilized in the formation of walls for tilt-up concrete building structures wherein removal of the brace will not cause breaks in the previously poured concrete slab floor.